


Inkopolis Heroes

by MagicalBunny



Series: Inkopolis Heroes [1]
Category: Splatoon
Genre: F/F, I hope this is good I've never posted a fanfic, Octo Expansion Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2019-06-10 18:10:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15297144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagicalBunny/pseuds/MagicalBunny
Summary: Agent 3, Agent 4 and Agent 8 come to realize that change is hard.





	1. New Dawn

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first Fanfic! I hope you enjoy!

The first golden rays of sunlight slipped over the horizon and washed over the towering buildings of Inkopolis, signaling the start of a new day. The stars began to disappear as the sunlight swallowed them, painting the clouds shades of pinks and oranges.

The city of color. That's what some referred the city as. Between all the different colored squids and then turf wars as well, it was near impossible to find a dull corner. Everything seemed to be splashed with color in some way. Like now, the sun painted the city the colors of dawn.

It wasn't often Agent 3 was up early, usually she slept until the afternoon, actually. Partially due to late night patrols, partially due to her nature, but also because she hadn't been able to shake this tiredness that seemed to surround her lately.

The rooftop was quiet, with only the passing sounds of the city below rising up from the streets. But even then they were distant, bringing a sense of peace. Golden eyes were locked with the sky as the Inkling watched the sun rise. The beauty and the sense of peace it brought seemed to wash away her anxiety and fears.

Agent 4 and Agent 8 were likely still asleep, along with Agents 1 and 2. The Cap'n was no doubt asleep in his shack. So that left her to patrol the morning on her own. Not that she minded it much. Sometimes she liked the silence.

She would have attempted to sleep again if she could, since it was so early. Most Inklings were still asleep, unless they had jobs to do or somewhere to be. But Agent 3 couldn't. The nightmare that had shaken her from her sleep and left her screaming and clutching her bed sheets for dear life was still lingering on her mind. She was still shaken to her core, and she feared it's return should she try to sleep again. 

A gentle morning breeze blew past her. With it brought the reminder that it was a new day. A new start.

A new dawn.


	2. Orders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Agent 3 recieves orders that are different than what she's normally instructed to do.

Agent 3 had been patrolling the canyon for a while, waiting for someone to show up. She wasn't surprised that it was hours before someone first came through the grate that lead to Inkopolis Square. After all, she was here very early. 

So early, in fact, that she nearly scared the ink out of Marie and almost got herself splatted.

"What in Inkopolis are you doing here so early?! Most squids your age are still asleep," scolded the older agent and squid sister. Callie was behind her, still looking half asleep as she leaned against her cousin. Her eyes were even closed, and Agent 3 could have swore she heard her snoring. 

Agent 3 shrugged in response, leaning up against a tree. The shade was cool and provided temporary relief from the sun. It would only get hotter as the day progressed, she guessed. Good thing it was cooler in the kettles. "I couldn't sleep. So I came here."

"You tend to do that often," Marie replied, turning her attention to her half asleep cousin and guiding her to the bench in front of the shack. "You work too much. It's not healthy."

The younger Inkling hummed, uncrossing her arms and fiddling with one of her long tentacles. "Yeah, I know. Agent 4 has brought that up."

"Well, have you thought about taking a vacation?"

That got Agent 3 to laugh. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, actually," Marie replied, her tone holding no hint of humor. "At this rate, you'll get sick. You're overworking yourself, Agent 3. I can see it."

"I'm really not," the younger Agent tried to argue, but Marie shook her head. Finally satisfied that Callie wouldn't fall off the bench, she turned around to face the other.

"You have bags under your eyes. Your moves in the field are sluggish, and you seem distracted. You need a break."

Any argument Agent 3 had seemed to die in her throat. What could she say? Marie was right. Lately she's been pushing herself, and now she's suffering for it. The 16 year old Inkling looked away, suddenly feeling ashamed of herself. Silence settled between the two like a thick blanket, with only the tweeting of birds interrupting it. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Marie sighed, turning back around.

"I swear, you kids are going to be the end of me," the white tentacled Inkling mumbled, dropping her bag. "That's why you, Agent 4, and Agent 8 are all taking a vacation."

"Wait, what?!"

"That's an order," Marie replied sternly, to which the green Inkling immediately closed her mouth. Defeated, she slumped down. 

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good." Marie seemed to soften up now, a gentle smile replacing her stern look from before. "Why don't you three do some turf war together? Callie and I can take over patrol duties for today while you all go have fun. Besides, someone needs to help Agent 8 get used to Inkopolis."

"That's a pretty good idea, I guess..."

"Besides, I'm sure your level could use some work. What are you? Level 20?" Marie smiled mischievously, and Agent 3 pouted.

"I am not! I'm level 50, jeez! At least give me some credit..."

\----------

It wasn't long after that Agent 8 arrived. She seemed thrilled at the idea of turf war with Agent 3 and Agent 4. She kept excitedly talking about what weapon should she use, what stages there would be, her emerald eyes sparkling as she rambled on, almost overflowing with excitement. Agent 3 thought the octoling might just burst.

Finally, Agent 4 showed up, looking like she just had rolled out of bed. She was disheveled, her bag in one hand and weapon in the other, her ink tank not even properly set up on her back.

"Sorry I'm late!"

"It’s fine. We aren't working today, anyways," Agent 3 replied, her arms crossed. Agent 8 nodded. Agent 4 looked completely lost.

"We... aren't?" 

"Not really. Marie-- sorry, Agent 2 wants us to take Agent 8 to do her first turf war."

Agent 4 turned to Agent 8, eyes wide. "You mean you haven't tried turf war yet?!"

"U-um... No, I haven't... I was too nervous," the Octoling replied, twirling one of her tentacles around her finger. "I'd feel better if I was with you two, though..."

"Well, that settles it! Today we take Agent 8 to her first turf war!"

"Only one problem," Agent 3 finally spoke up. "We only have 3 members. We need a fourth, unless you don't mind a random inkling."

"Oh! I can invite my friend," Agent 4 replied, grinning widely. "I'm sure he'd love to join us!"

"Alright! Call him and tell him to meet us in the square," Agent 8 replied, getting all excited again.

"Well, first we have to get you registered," Agent 3 said. "Otherwise they won't let you in. You'll get your beginner gear and weapon and start from level 1."

"Well, what levels are you two?"

"I'm level 32," Agent 4 answered, pointing proudly to herself, "and Agent 3 is level 50."

"O-oh..." Agent 8 shrunk down, but Agent 4 quickly was by her side, slapping her on the back.

"Hey! Don't be sad! You'll level up over time! After all, we all started from level one at some point. Right, 3?"

"Yeah," the other inkling girl replied, staring off into the sky. "Though that was two years ago."

"Oh yeah, you started two years ago! It was so different then... Why don't we head to the turf war headquarters to get Agent 8 registered?"

"Yeah, alright. Agent 8, stick close to us."

"Wait, before we go!" Agent 4 stepped in front of them. "We can't call each other by our agent codes in public, can we? We should tell each other our names! I'm Rina!"

"In that case, I'm Lexi," Agent 8 replied, smiling. Then they both turned to Agent 3, waiting for her response. The older agent felt her face flush a bit.

"My name... is Chiaki," Agent 3 replied, looking off to the side. 

"You both have such cute names!" Rina squealed, hopping up and down in joy. "Now that that's settled, come on!"

She dove down into the grate, with Agent 8 following. Agent 3 sighed, scratching her head.

"Go have fun," Marie said suddenly, startling Agent 3. The green Inkling nodded, and then dove in after her comrades.


	3. Morning Rush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexi gets her licence to splat, the trio get breakfast, and then something goes horribly wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long, but between work and stuff I didn't have much time to sit down and just... write.  
> Also, this wasn't even the original ending for the chapter. It just felt right to end it here.  
> I hope you enjoy!

The train was packed with Inklings and jellyfish headed to work and other destinations. It always was busy in the morning. Chiaki, Rina, and Lexi found themselves squished together, fighting for space. They had waited for Sheldon to open his store before ducking in and changing out of their agent gear- Well, all except for Lexi. She didn't have any turf gear yet.  
The train ride was loud, filled with excited Inklings talking about their plans for the day. Finally, the train pulled into the station near the turf war center. It was here that Lexi would sign up, get her ID, beginner gear and her first weapon. Or, what would have been her first if she hadn't gone through everything underground.  
To say she was excited would have been an understatement. Lexi could hardly sit still, intently listening as Rina told her about weapons she both knew already and didn't know yet. Chiaki was silent the whole way, instead opting to listen to her music.  
"So what weapon do you main, Rina?"  
"Me? Oh, I use the dualies! Chiaki over there usually uses a blaster or a roller."  
"Why does she use a blaster? Aren't they slow?"  
"Something about it being easier to splat others with," Rina replied, tapping her chin. "Besides, not all of them are slow."  
"Right. Remind me not to ever go against her."  
They both laughed, making Chiaki look up and cock an eyebrow at the two of them.  
The train slowed to a stop at their station, and the three agents stepped off onto the platform. Chiaki took the chance to stretch, before Rina quickly grabbed Lexi's hand and began tugging her off towards the office building. Chiaki was caught off guard, and had to jog a bit to catch up to the other two.  
The office building was tall, stretching towards the sky but not tall enough to reach the clouds. The windows were like mirrors, dark and shiny, reflecting the blue sky and fluffy white clouds. There was a patch of green grass on the inside of the circular driveway, and a garden to each side of the front door. Small trees were planted there, as well as some bushes and flowers. Some Inklings were sitting on the grass outside, talking. Some were in their beginner gear, showing off their new splattershot juniors.  
The trio walked up to the building and paused in front of the door. Lexi's emerald eyes were wide with wonder, yet she looked worried as well. Rina noticed this, and slapped her on the back.  
"Hey, Lexi! Lighten up, alright? We'll help you through the application and everything! Right, Chiaki?"  
Chiaki looked at Lexi and nodded. "It's not bad, so don't stress it."  
Lexi paused, then nodded, cracking a smile. "Alright. Thank you both. Let's go inside. I'm... I'm ready."  
The trio walked up to the desk that an Inkling was sitting at. Behind her in silver letters on the wall read "TURF HQ". The building handled everything from turf war to ranked matches, as well as Splatfests. In fact, rumor has it that the machine that gives the Splatfest theme is kept in a special secure room in the basement.  
The secretary smiled politely. "What can I do for you kids?"  
"We're here to help our friend sign up for turf war! She just moved to Inkopolis, so we promised to help her," Rina explained. Chiaki nodded behind her.  
"Alright! In that case, here are the forms you have to fill out. Once you hand them back, you can wait here in the lobby and I'll call you up when you get approved." She handed a clipboard over to Lexi with the required paperwork.  
"Thank you," Lexi replied, her voice shy and quiet.  
The application was a bit harder than they originally thought. They had to make up most of it, like her birthplace. But eventually they got it all filled out and handed it. Then they sat down in the waiting room. Lexi continued to fidget, Chiaki listened to music, and Rina could hardly sit still, she was so excited for her friend.  
After what felt like forever (though it couldn't have been more than 20 minutes or so), the Secretary called Lexi up. Her and Rina ran up to the desk, with Chiaki trailing behind.  
"Congrats, Lexi! You're officially all set," the secretary said with a smile. "Here's your official ID. Make sure to keep it safe. Without it, you can't participate in turf wars or ranked battles. Ranked battles won't be available for you until you get enough points to hit level 10. You can head through that door where they'll fit you with beginner gear and give you your first weapon." She pointed to a door nearby labeled "fitting room", and Lexi nodded. She dragged Chiaki along, and Rina decided to wait in the lobby. The jellyfish inside took Lexi's measurements while Chiaki leaned against a wall. He then disappeared, returning with a t-shirt, headband, and shoes, as well as a sling pack for her to put her other gear in. "Please try," the jellyfish said in broken Inklish. "If not fitting, let me know."  
Lexi nodded, disappearing into a stall that they had set up. When she emerged, she was wearing the new gear, looking a bit shy. Her cheeks were flushed a bit pink. "A-- I mean... Chiaki, h-how do I look...?"  
Chiaki looked up from her phone, and immediately felt her chest tighten. She looked... adorable. She was clutching the bottom of her shirt, green eyes sparkling, staring straight at her. She felt her cheeks flush, and she quickly looked back down at her phone to conceal it. "Looks good," she mumbled.  
"Good," the jellyfish said, clapping. "Now you are needing ink tank and splattershot jr. Please be holding on."  
He disappeared into a small locked room off the room filled with beginner gear of all sizes and the stall. He was gone for a few minutes, leaving the two alone. Chiaki refused to look at Lexi or say anything. Lexi shifted, uncomfortable with the silence. Finally, he returned, helping Lexi with her ink tank and showing her how to get it on, and then handed her the gun.  
"You are set," the jellyfish said. "Go enjoy the splatting of turf!"

\-------

"Alright!" Rina jumped in front of the two the second they left the building. "Now that Lexi is all registered, let's go play some turf!"  
"Actually," Chiaki said, crossing her arms, "we should probably get breakfast first. It's dangerous to play on an empty stomach."  
Rina whined, deflating. "But I'm not hungry..."  
Chiaki opened her mouth to say something back, but before she could, Rina's stomach betrayed her and let out a loud growl. Rina's face flushed in embarrassment, and she quickly clutched her midsection.  
"Your stomach says otherwise, Rina," Lexi replied, giggling softly. Even Chiaki, the serious one of the group, cracked a smile.  
"There's a good cafe nearby," Chiaki offered. "Come on. I'll buy."  
Before the two could protest, Chiaki had started walking. Rina huffed, and her and Lexi rushed to catch up.  
Turns out, Rina was starving. The second her food was delivered, she dug in like she hadn't eaten in days. The two other girls watched in awe, before Rina noticed and looked up.  
"What?" She inquired with her mouth still full. Chiaki raised an eyebrow at her.  
"Did you eat breakfast this morning?"  
The younger Inkling swallowed, averting her gaze. "I would have... but I slept through my alarm. I was worried about being late, so I rushed out of my apartment."  
"Next time, maybe set more than one alarm," Lexi suggested. "That helps me!"  
"I'm glad we didn't have any work today," Chiaki said. "You would have passed out and we would have had to rescue you."  
Rina's face flushed, and she clutched her utensils. "That's not true! I would have been fine!"  
"Right," Chiaki replied, and decided to leave it at that. She couldn't help the smug grin that came to her face. Lexi was laughing, but also trying to calm Rina down.  
Chiaki leaned against the window and stared out onto the street where various Inklings and jellyfish passed by. This was the most fun she's had in years. All her old friends she had accidentally pushed away when she became so obsessed with her secret agent work. She thought it was her responsibility to keep Inkopolis safe on her own. She never told her team about it, and eventually they got fed up with her being so secretive and ditching them that they snapped at her and left. And then she was alone. For two years she had no one besides her agent work.  
But now she has Agent 4 and Agent 8- no. Rina and Lexi. She tore her gaze away from the window to look at the two. Rina was a flushed embarrassed mess and Lexi was trying to gently calm her down. They brought some light back into her life. A light that she had thought she lost long ago. Chiaki found herself smiling at the duo's shenanigans. Though she might not say it out loud, she was really thankful for their friendship.  
The two noticed her staring, and Rina waved a hand in front of Chiaki's face. "You Okay? You look like your spacing out."  
Chiaki swatted Rina's hand away, crossing her arms with an audible "tch". "Me? Space out? I'm not you."  
"Hey!"  
Lexi ended up having to hold Rina down before she jumped across the dining booth to strangle Chiaki.

\--------

The ride back to the square was loud and jammed. Inklings of all ages were riding the train for a new day of turf wars. Chiaki was watching some of the first matches of the day going on, with Rina and Lexi on either side of her, watching over her shoulder. It was times like this Chiaki wondered if either of them knew what personal space meant.  
As soon as the train stopped at the station, a flood of Inklings ran off and filled up the square. Some flocked to the stores, some ran towards Grizzco, and others ran straight to the lobby. Some went to Crusty Sean's food truck, and some decided to hang around and wait for their friends. The trio stepped foot into the square and the big screen on top of the tower came to life as Inkopolis news came on. Pearl and Marina energetically announced the stages for the current rotation, before signing off with their usual "don't get cooked, stay off the hook!" catchphrase. Personally, Chiaki liked "stay fresh" the most.  
"Since you're only level one, you can only do turf for now," Rina explained to Lexi, who nodded. "Play more and win more, and you'll level up quickly."  
"So... like a video game?" Lexi tilted her head.  
"Exactly! Like a video game!"  
The three then headed to the tower where they were brought underground to the waiting station. It was there that groups of four were being assigned, along with team colors and a number 1 through 4. The walls were black, while the tile was black with paint splatter designs on it. On the far wall there were doors that had numbers that corresponded to the numbers assigned to groups. There was also 2 other doors that only opened on Splatfest that lead to shifty station, but those were currently locked. Around the room were large TVs that played the current turf wars and ranked and league matches with commentary, as well as changing rooms, lockers, benches and chairs, tables, and snack and drink machines. From speakers above they had the radio playing the latest music. The second they stepped off the elevator and headed down the short hall, they were stopped by an older Inkling. She asked for their ID, which the three happily handed over. "Oh! A beginner?" She looked at Lexi and smiled politely. "Good luck out there!"  
Lexi nodded, beaming. "Thank you!"  
Their ID's were scanned and put into the matchmaking system. "We'll call your names and your fourth team mate's name once it's your turn for your match," the staff member explained. "Until then, feel free to drop your stuff in a locker and relax."  
The Trio thanked her, going to the lockers to drop their stuff off. Rina pulled out her Dualies to show Lexi, while Chiaki pulled what looked like a mess of parts out of her bag. The two stopped for a second to watch the older Inkling methodically put together her weapon. The mess of parts became a splat roller that looked like it had seen better years. Rina poked it.  
"Sheesh, Chiaki! Where'd this come from? The dump?"  
"No," the older one replied, swatting Rina's hand away. "I bought it years ago when I first started out."  
"Have you brought it to Sheldon for maintenance at least?"  
"Maybe... once?"  
Rina pouted. "Your poor roller looks ready to fall apart! We have to stop by Sheldon's later today, then. No buts! I'm paying."  
Chiaki sighs, shrugging. "Whatever, I guess."  
"Besides! If we're going to become a team, we need you to have a working weapon!"  
"Wait, who said anything about becoming a team?!"  
"Its too late! I decided."  
"We don't even have a fourth person!"  
"You do now," a purple inkling said quietly. He was small and looked shy, the way he kept averting his gaze. He had two tentacles pulled up into a ponytail, and one swooped to the side.  
"Oh, are you our fourth?" Lexi finally asked. To this, he nodded.  
"I'm Cyrus... It's nice to meet you."  
"I'm Rina!" The energetic yellow Inkling jumped up. "And this is Chiaki and Lexi!"  
The other two waved, which brought a smile to the boy's face.  
"Well," Chiaki started, "what class weapon do you use?"  
"Charger," the purple Inkling replied. "IM decent with an E-litre..."  
"Hm, alright. Your job will be to keep the other team at bay while we push forward, then," the green Inkling replied.  
The four now sat at a table not far from a TV to watch some of the ongoing turf wars. It was probably going to be awhile until their names got called, since there were many other Inklings around.  
It all happened so fast. They were watching TV one moment, the next they were in the darkness. Someone screamed. Immediately there was a flood of phone lights to illuminate the pitch black room. A staff member got up on a chair.  
"Alright, remain calm! It seems our systems have completely gone down and the power's gone out!"  
A sea of murmurs came from the crowd, a few starting to inch their way towards the lockers.  
"The elevator is down, so you'll have to use the emergency staircase! The left side of the room may get their stuff and exit. A staff member will guide you!"  
Chiaki grabbed the other two and began leading them to the lockers, but Rina stopped and ran back to drag Cyrus along. The boy looked scared out of his wits.  
Chiaki had no time to take apart her weapon, so she slung it over her shoulder and began to ascend the stairs with the other two. Before they could reach the top, though, there was a rumbling...  
Hundreds of Inklings came running up from the level below, screaming and shoving their way through. Chiaki found herself separated from the other three as the Inklings from the league floor battled through, screaming about a flood. This made the rest of the Inklings and Octolings panic as well, and soon enough, everyone was screaming and shouting and trampling over one another to get out. Rina screamed for her friends while desperately protecting Cyrus. There was another rumble, stronger this time, and everyone from the ranked floor began to flood the jammed stairways, screaming and shouting and shoving their way into the stairwell. The air was filled with panic and the crowd was so thick, Chiaki thought she might suffocate.  
"The Ink pumps must have ruptured," Chiaki realised. That meant the facility was flooding with a mess of colorful ink of every variety. Everyone knew you couldn't swim in ink that's not your color. But if it was a mess of all colors, they couldn't swim in it at all. They would drown in it.  
There was light from above. Someone must have finally gotten the emergency exit open. But with everyone pushing and shoving, it was near impossible to get out.  
A third rumble. Chiaki knew that was the last of the pumps exploding. The stairway would be flooded soon. This was not the way she wanted to go.  
Finally, everyone started running, spilling out into the square. The second Chiaki made it out, she was gasping for air, her chest burning. She stumbled a few feet away before falling, coughing and clutching her chest. She blinked through the harsh sunlight, scanning the crowd for any sign of Rina or Lexi. She shakily got to her feet, her legs almost not wanting to move. They could have all died in there. What happened to cause such a bad situation? Her head was spinning. Her hearts were racing.  
She finally saw a familiar figure lying motionless on their back with a panicking boy next to them, she found herself involuntarily running towards them.  
"Rina! Hey, Rina!" Chiaki was down on her knees next to the younger Agent. She felt for a pulse, and then breathed a sigh of relief. "She's alright..."  
"S-She protected me," Cyrus sobbed, hot tears running down his cheeks.  
"Relax, it's going to be fine. Just sit down with me."  
The boy nodded, sitting on the curb on the other side of the unconscious Inkling. Finally, Lexi found them and came jogging up. She immediately hugged Chiaki tightly, mumbling into her shoulder about how she's glad that Chiaki was safe. "I tried looking for you two when I got out, but I couldn't find you.... then I heard the explosions and thought maybe... maybe you..."  
"Shhh." Chiaki wrapped an arm around Lexi to comfort her. Since when did she become the comforting type? She let out a sigh, closing her eyes. A warm breeze blew past the group as sirens filled the air.


	4. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the explosions, the trio tries to relax. Once a controversial topic comes up, things go from bad to worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this while I was recovering from some emergency dental work. Sorry of its not as good as the other chapters.

"Turf war activity came to a halt today after an incident involving the ink pumps that fill the underground passageways. Those pumps fill special passages that connect to every turf war stage in Inkopolis. Unfortunately, those pumps exploded today, filling the three underground lobby levels with a mix of every color ink. There were many injuries in the rush to escape, and currently the turf war company that organizes everything is under fire for their poor emergency escape system. They did release a statement saying that this situation should never have happened, and it was one of the worst possible things that could have happened. The pumps are supposed to have a safety system installed on them, and it's unclear as to why that safety system failed. Stay tuned to learn more as the investigation continues."  
The news was already covering the story. Chiaki was watching the news story from their booth in the cafe. Lexi was fussing over Rina, who had asked an employee for an ice pack when they had gotten there. The small yellow Inkling had gotten roughed up and gotten pushed around during the whole mess, and had hit her head somewhere along the way. They were a few blocks away from the square now, having wanted to escape the mess. When Rina woke up, she was disoriented, so Chiaki ended up carrying her to the cafe. She must have gotten trampled pretty bad. Then again, a lot of inklings and Octolings did.  
Chiaki looked away from the TV after the story had moved on and looked out the window. Lexi sighed, resting her head in her hands. "How could this have happened...?"  
"Could have been a malfunction. But the way they made it sound, there was no possible way it could have happened without some sort of outside force. Maybe it was Octarians. Maybe they’re going to attack again."  
Lexi grew quiet, and Rina said nothing for awhile. An uneasy silence settled over the table. Chiaki didn't even think twice. It just sort of slipped out. Lexi looked away, a little hurt. Rina looked up, a frown on her face.  
"Not everything is the octarians fault, you know."  
"Yeah, but it still could be. Not that-"  
"You're hurting Lexi's feelings! Do you think before you speak?!"  
This caught Chiaki by surprise. She looked up, realizing what she had done. Oh.  
Maybe this is why her friends left her years ago. She sighed, standing up.  
"I'm going to go before you cause a scene."  
Rina almost stood up and chased her, but Lexi grabbed her.  
"What's her deal? Sheesh..." The yellow Inkling put her head down on the table.  
"Rina..." Lexi fiddled with the hem of her shirt. "I don't think she meant to hurt me..."  
"She should still think before she speaks."  
"Yeah, but... Chiaki has been an agent for a lot longer than both of us. You don't know her whole story... It might just have been a gut reaction. We should find her and apologize for snapping at her."  
Rina was silent for a while, contemplating this suggestion. Eventually, she sighed, pushing herself up.  
"Yeah... alright. I'm sorry, I'm just in a bad mood because of what happened."  
"Hey, it's alright! We can fix this!"

\-------

Chiaki sighed, shoving her hands into her pockets. What was wrong with her, blurting out something so controversial? It was stupid. Not all agents thought the same about the octarians. And then there was Lexi... she used to be with Octavio. Now she works with the new Squidbeak Splatoon. Man, thinking too hard was giving her a headache. Maybe she'd go to the arcade to unwind. When she reached for her wallet, she realized... She didn't have it. She must have left it at the diner in the morning. She cursed under her breath, running a hand down her face. Could the day get any worse?  
The train ride was mainly silent. Darkness had already started spreading over the city by the time she arrived at the train station. As she started walking towards the cafe, she started to feel a strange, foreboding feeling in the pit of her stomach. Like something bad was going to happen.  
She tightened her grip on her bag and ducked into a nearby food joint for a quick change. Hero headset, check. Hero shoes, check. Hero gear, check. And finally, the tattered cape, fastened around her neck. She threw her phone in her bag along with her other gear and ran out.

\-------

"I haven't had any luck finding her," Rina sighed, slumping against the wall. "It's all my fault."  
"Hey, don't stress yourself out like that. Maybe she just went home. Tomorrow, we can meet up and discuss what happened at the cafe."  
"Yeah, but..." Rina pushed herself off the wall, facing Lexi. Her expression was gravely serious, no smile and stone cold eyes that made Lexi involuntarily shiver.  
"Something is wrong. I can feel it. Like... She might be in danger. It's sort of like a sixth sense you develop when you work as an agent."  
"W... well, why don't you text her?" Lexi began to shift on her feet. Rina's face immediately brightened up. "Oh, yeah! She probably has her phone on her, right?"  
"Yeah! She's been on it all day, didn't you notice?"  
"She always carries her phone on her in case the captain calls her for a mission. I'll try calling her!"

\-----

Agent 3 would never hear her phone ring. She had thrown it into her bag, where it had fallen to the bottom amongst the roller parts and her alternative gear. She continued walking, sticking more to the shadows that the old, yellowed street lights cast down onto the streets. She had turned off the main road and started taking the back roads in order to avoid attention. Maybe she was just being paranoid, but... she's been an agent for 3 years. She's gone through so much, she's always on edge.  
Clouds had moved in, obscuring the moon and not allowing the moonlight to pass through. Rain was coming. Perhaps a storm.  
Suddenly, she stopped. There was another set of footsteps nearby.  
She wheeled around, only to see some figure sneaking into a building. Wasn't this the back of the turf HQ? What were they doing, sneaking into there?  
Agent 3 paused, debating going in. On one hand, she already had this feeling that something bad was going to happen. On the other hand, though... people could get hurt, if that figure was malicious. It was her duty to protect Inkopolis. Even if that wasn't an octarian, she still felt like she had to help.  
The door was left ajar, probably to make for an easier escape. The green hero ducked into the room. It was dark., save for the sliver of light coming from the open back door. She stopped to listen for footsteps. At first, there was silence.  
Then, there was a scream.  
Agent 3 ran out of the dark room towards the scream, which came from the lobby. It was probably from the secretary. Had she been hurt?  
She caught the mysterious figure headed for the stairway. She heard a groan, and peeked over the desk to see the secretary on the floor, covered in some weird... black ink? The poor Inkling looked like she had fainted.  
There were more workers on the other floors. They were still in danger.  
Floor after floor, the mysterious villain struck, but Agent 3 was just a step behind. Finally, on the last floor, where the servers were held, she caught up. The figure was in the corner on her laptop connected to the huge server room.  
Agent 3 was out of breath. She came to a halt in front of the invader and pointed her hero shot at her. Turns out, they were an octoling with long black tentacles pulled into a ponytail and blue rings around the suction cups. The way she was dressed was oddly casual for someone to be performing such an attack. Maybe it was to blend in?  
"That's enough," the agent growled, hands steady and eyes filled with anger, like a cold fire burning within her. "Who are you, and what do you think you're doing here?"  
The Octoling frowned, lifting her hands from her keyboard.  
"I don't have to reveal anything to you, inkling scum. In fact, you're the worst of your species, Agent 3," she spat. The inkling felt her eye twitch, but she held herself back.  
"You're trapped now. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way."  
"Me? Trapped? Kid, I'm never trapped," she replied, flashing a sharp beaked grin.  
In a flash, the Octoling was up, octoshot in hand, and firing at her. Agent 3 grabbed her cape in a split second decision and pulled it up, blocking the strange black ink from hitting her. She dodge rolled behind one of the racks of servers, sighing.  
"Guess that means you want to do it the hard way, huh?"

\-----

"She hasn't answered," Rina said, pacing back and forth while Lexi kicked her feet nervously on the park bench. The moon cast an eerie glow down onto the park, and the only other illumination was the park lights along the pathway.  
"We could see if we can track her location through her phone... If we hack it..."  
"You're brilliant! Do you know how to hack?"  
"No," Lexi replied, smiling, "but Marina does!"

\-----

The room was relatively dark. One of the walls was all glass, letting in what weak rays of pale moonlight could get through the darkened window. The only other source of light was the gently flickering lights of the servers. Agent 3 threw herself behind another rack as the other started firing at her. She started returning fire, using the wall of servers as cover. It was hard to see, her hearts were pounding and she began to regret charging into this by herself. If only the others were here...  
There was no time to radio for help. She backed up, and then rammed her shoulder into a shelf. The metal let out a groan of despair before tipping over, knocking shelf after shelf over. Perhaps... That would do it. Then she could drag this octoling back to the underground.  
Silence. Nothing. Had she done it? She stepped back to go check...  
Then, a decisive shot from nowhere.  
On top of the pile of racks, intense blue eyes stared at her from the shadows.  
"Game over, inkling scum."

\-----

Pearl and Marina ended up home early due to the evacuation of the square. Lexi and Rina both ran into the fancy apartment that Lexi shared with the two idols. The two, who were sitting on the couch discussing sheet music, jumped, suddenly alert as the door closed.  
"Oh, Lexi, you're home early," Marina said. "Then again, so are we because of the incident."  
Lexi shook her head. "I'd love to chat, but we need you to hack Agent 3's phone for us."  
Pearl leaned back, cocking an eyebrow. "Why, though?"  
"We're worried that she might be in trouble," Agent 4 explained, clearly antsy. She was shifting from foot to foot, looking ready to bolt. "She e an off by herself and I just can't shake the feeling that she might get hurt. She hasn't answered our texts or calls so we don't know where she is."  
"Alright," Marina replied. "Let me just get my laptop."

\-----

Agent 3 was staring straight down the barrel of her enemy's octoshot, sharp fangs bared. Nevermind that she was on the floor, covered in this weird black ink. Gold eyes met blue ones, neither wavering. The dark room was thick with tension. The Octoling grinned, ready to fire.  
Agent 3 rolled to the side the second she saw her enemy's trigger finger move. She then lunged at her, knocking the octoling over. Guns forgotten, it became a one on one brawl. 

There was a sharp pain in her arm. She growled, kicking at the Octoling. Did she just... bite her?!  
"First off, gross. Second, what are you, some kind of vampire?!"  
The octoling, however, said nothing. She just grinned.  
"It's been fun, but I really ought to go before my ink wears off."  
"What are you talking about?!"  
The Octoling got up, and Agent 3 went to follow, only to find that her body felt... weak. She stumbled to her feet, holding onto the racks that weren't toppled for support. She dragged herself forward as the other walked back towards her laptop, only to collapse shortly after. Her body was numb, and she couldn't move. At this point, her adrenaline was wearing off and panic was setting in.  
She wanted to scream, but she couldn't find her voice anymore.  
What had that octoling done to her? She's never encountered one like this!  
Her chest started to tighten, and she found it harder to breathe. Was this from the ink?  
"My ink is highly toxic. It paralyzes whoever gets hit over time." She sat back down by her laptop, sharp blue eyes burning with anger. Her grin was bright enough to cut through the darkness. "But my bite... That's even deadlier."  
All Agent 3 could do was stare at her attacker.  
She couldn't think.  
She couldn't move.  
She couldn't speak.  
Her vision was fading. She tried desperately to put up one last fight, to crawl towards her gun several feet away, but her body gave out, and she lost consciousness in a pool of black ink.  
The Octoling finished her work and escaped.

\-----

When Lexi and Rina had finally located Agent 3, they were almost too late.  
They had stumbled upon the terrible scene in the office building. And if that was bad, then finding their friend unresponsive was worse.  
They called her name, even tried to shake her, but she wasn't waking up. Her breathing was shallow and choppy. She was pale and trembling.  
Rina called the police. Lexi stayed by her friend's side.  
Rain started to fall from the black sky. The red and blue police lights lit up the buildings and reflected off the raindrops as the siren's wailing echoed through the streets.  
The night was shrouded in an unforgiving darkness.


	5. The Secrets We Keep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The agents come to realize that perhaps they weren't as close as they all thought they were

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. Got hit with a major case of writer's block while trying to write this chapter. Sorry it's a bit short, but I hope you enjoy.

The sirens faded down the road as Lexi and Rina watched the ambulance leave. Inside was their friend Chiaki, desperately fighting for her life.  
Rina wanted to scream. She wanted to scream and cry and just get angry. Instead, all she could do was stand there as hot tears fell down her cheeks.  
"What if we were too late?"  
"D... don't think like that," Lexi replied, though it sounded more like a plea. "Anyways... come on... we have to tell the captain and agents 1 and 2."  
Rina was silent.

\-----

Explaining was hard. It was Lexi who broke the news, really. Rina just stood there, staring down at the ground with sadness and anger in her normally cheerful eyes. It was like the sun had disappeared.   
They walked to the hospital in silence. Callie and Marie in their disguises, Cap'n, and the two agents.  
"Does... Agent 3 have any family?"  
It was Lexi who broke the heavy silence first. The group looked up, then looked at each other. Lexi sighed, shaking her head. "We really don't know much about her, do we?"  
"Not much besides her age and that she lives alone," Callie replied, folding her hands behind her head and staring off. "She never talked about family or herself or anything."  
"It's actually a bit sad," Marie added. "We've known her for three years, but we hardly know anything about her."  
"Maybe we aren't as close as we thought we were," Lexi replied softly.  
No one responded.   
The rest of the walk was silent, save for the sounds of the city.

\-----

The walls were too white, the scent too sterile, the lights too bright. Rina felt like she might be sick just sitting there. She went from pacing back and forth to sitting next to Lexi, who was reading up about the investigation.   
There was someone else in the room, crying about her daughter. She was middle age, Rina noticed, rather plump. Her bright green tentacles were pulled into a bun. She felt bad-- this poor woman had no one else with her. She was sitting all alone in the corner of the room, using tissue after tissue.  
Rina looked at the others. Callie was fidgeting nervously, while Marie offered her some silent comfort. The Cap'n looked lost deep in thought, and figured it was best not to disturb him.  
It's my fault, Rina thought. If only I hadn't stupidly snapped at her, she wouldn't have run off. Now we're here and we don't even know if she'll be okay.  
It felt like an eternity until the lady at the desk called someone up.   
"Mrs. Rhodes?"  
The woman who was crying stood up quickly, rushing to the desk. Rina sighed, putting her head in her hands.   
"You're the mother of Chiaki, correct?"  
Immediately the 5 all look up, which scares the poor woman when she turns back around with the clipboard of paperwork.   
"You're Chiaki's mother?" Lexi was the first to speak up. The woman, who was shaking like a leaf and clinging to the clipboard like it was her life line, nodded.   
"Yes, Chiaki is my daughter..." Her voice was warm and kind, even though it was trembling with fear and uncertainty. "You must be her friends..."  
"You... could say that, yeah," Callie replied.   
Despite the pain in her gentle golden eyes, the older Inkling smiled. "Well... I'm sorry we had to meet on such unfortunate circumstances..."  
"Ma'am, I don't mean to pry at such a bad time," Rina said, gripping the hem of her shirt, "but did Chiaki tell you what she did outside of the regular turf and ranked matches?"  
The woman grew silent, and started tearing up again. "Not since three years ago, around the time the great Zapfish disappeared the first time. Ever since she's been more distant and secretive... and I worry about her all the time... I just wish I knew what happened today..."  
Rina winced, looking at the Cap'n, who hasn't said a word at all this whole time. It was Marie who spoke up first.  
"Your daughter's a secret agent."  
The woman blinked, staring at Marie like she had three heads. Silence settled like a thick blanket over the room, with no one saying a word. No one dared to even breathe.  
Finally, the creak of one of the chairs shattered the silence. Everyone turned as Cuttlefish stood up, shakily leaning on his cane, and slowly walking towards the woman. The idol duo and agent duo were both confused.  
"Gramps?"  
"Cap'n?"  
He stopped before Mrs. Rhodes. He couldn't even bring himself to look up at the mother of one of his agents. Despite the aches and protests of his body, the elderly Inkling slowly got to his knees, and then bowed before her.   
"It was my fault, miss, that your daughter was harmed. I was the one who pulled her into becoming a secret agent. Though I know I can't make up for it, please... accept my apology."  
The woman was frozen in shock. She just stood there, staring down at this at this strange old man begging for her forgiveness.  
"Your daughter saved the city, you know," Callie said, her normally loud and energetic voice now soft. "Without her help, Inkopolis would have run out of power."  
"And," Marie interrupted, "we could have been at war as well."  
Lexi nodded, forcing back tears. "She saved my life, too. And his."  
Mrs. Rhodes looked between all of them, and then back at the Cap'n. Hot tears ran freely down her face as she dropped the clipboard and fell to her knees.  
"I..."  
Thoughts ran through her head so fast, she couldn't think.  
"I-I..."  
She couldn't afford to lose her daughter, too.   
"... I…” She swallowed hard, her voice shaking. “I forgive you."  
Her voice was quiet, and she had to force her answer out. Cuttlefish looked up, and he smiled.  
"I'm... so glad to hear that..."  
Mrs. Rhodes shifted closer, taking his hand and helping him stand back up. Cuttlefish grunted, finding his balance. There was silence once again, as the group began to settle once again.  
And then she hugged him. It was unexpected, and he was caught off guard.  
"Thank you for looking after her," the woman said softly, her voice still trembling.  
Cuttlefish blinked, but then hugged her back.   
Chiaki's mother joined the group, and began to fill out the paperwork. Rina began pacing, and Lexi tried to get her to calm down. An air of unease settled across the group, until Mrs. Rhodes was called up to reception. She jumped, running up.  
They spoke in hushed whispers, while the others waited for any news. When she came back, she was crying, but she was smiling.  
"Her condition has stabilized. She hasn't woken up yet and they're going to keep a close eye on her, but she should be okay."  
Rina let out a sigh of relief as Lexi hugged her tightly. Everyone visibly relaxed upon hearing the news.  
"Can we see her?" Lexi tilted her head.  
"Unfortunately no... only I can right now. And even then they just want to let her rest. Maybe tomorrow, though, during visiting hours. It really depends when she wakes up."  
They understood. A wave of tiredness fell over Rina. She hasn't even noticed she was tired. Then again, it had been a long day. She slumped down in her seat. She just needed a second to rest before traveling home.  
A second to rest turned into her dozing off. When it was time to go, she was fast asleep. This earned a small smile from the grey haired squid sister, who proceeded to pick her up and carry her back to their apartment.

\-----

She awoke to the sound of rain on the window. A dull grey light spilled through the window from outside. It must have been afternoon. Her vision was blurry and her head ached. Her body felt stiff and her mind was hazy.  
The hospital room lights were off, and the monitor next to her was dulled to a faint beep. She moved to sit up, only to notice a woman half laying on the bed in a seat next to her. She rubbed her eyes, propping herself up on her elbows.  
"Mom...?"  
The woman flinched, then opened her eyes. She stared at Chiaki, and then her eyes got watery as she leaped forward to hug her.  
"My baby," she cried, holding her daughter tight. "My sweet baby..."  
"Mom, what are you doing here?"  
"First, I have a question for you," she replied, straightening up and wiping her eyes. "Chiaki, why didn't you tell me you were a secret agent?"  
Ah. Crud.  
Chiaki went silent, and then looked down, fiddling with her blanket.   
"I was afraid," she replied softly. "Afraid that somehow, you'd get hurt. Afraid that you'd get angry. Afraid that maybe me telling you would put you in danger and-"  
She was cut off when her mother hugged her again.  
"Don't be afraid, Chiaki," she says, her voice quiet and gentle. Chiaki felt herself tearing up, but tried to will the tears away.   
"You're all I have," the younger squid replied, voice wavering.  
"I know."  
"I can't lose you, too."  
"You won't."   
Finally, Chiaki buried her face against her mother's shirt, and she cried.


	6. Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio begins to plan their attack.

Recovery felt like it would take forever. Chiaki was released when they deemed that she was well enough and was instructed to take it easy at home. Of course, she did, only because she was forced to by her fellow agents.  
Meanwhile, several other hacking incidents were recorded. Power outages due to the electric grid being hacked. Security cameras going down in places.   
Turf war still hadn't started back up. On top of the ongoing repairs, the hacker had encrypted their files with a key. Level data, ranked data, and more was all sealed away and they couldn't break through or else all the files would be destroyed. Their electronic systems were down. The city of color had never been more dull.  
"We have to do something," Chiaki said, shutting off the news. "We know who's doing it, but now we just need a plan."  
"She's not just an Octoling," Rina replied, kicking her feet. "She's venomous. She nearly killed you. We need some way to deal with that toxic ink of hers."  
"If you get shot, your body goes numb where the ink contacts you, and then you get weak..."  
"Then you can't move," Lexi finished. The other two nodded. She sighed, sitting back. "It reminds me of those tests back in the subway. If you touched enemy ink, test failed."  
"So just avoid her ink, okay. How do we do that?" Rina looked up. Chiaki was staring at the blank TV, deep in thought.  
"A roller," she mumbled. "We could use a roller to cover ground and keep her trapped in one area."  
Lexi and Rina sat up, looking at Chiaki, clearly interested.   
"Yeah, alright. That could help. Any more ideas, Chi?" Rina looked hopeful.  
"A brella," Lexi chimed in, "to shield from her ink."  
"A hero brella or the undercover brella should be fine for that," Rina replied, nodding.  
"And lastly, a hero shot," Chiaki mumbled, looking down at her hands. "To stay on the attack. Her and I have unfinished business."  
"I'm pretty good at rollers," Rina replied, grinning brightly. "I can help you!"  
"I've used the brella a few times before. I think I can handle it."  
"How do we know where she'll strike next?" Rina leaned back in her chair.  
"We don't," Chiaki replied, folding her hands. "We have to just hope we're in the right place at the right time. Night patrols are most likely the best option."  
"Alright, so... we have a plan. Shouldn't we run this by the Cap'n first?" Lexi looked at the two, who nodded.  
"Yeah. We should."

\-----

"Absolutely not."   
"Wait, what?" Rina put her hands on her hips and huffed. "Why not?"  
"Because," Cuttlefish said, shuffling to sit down. "Agent 3 almost got killed last time. No one in their right mind would send a child back to fight after that."  
"But Cap'n," Chiaki interjected, "I've been splatted quite a few times and it never bothered you."  
"You were always in range of a spawn point," Cuttlefish replied. "Besides, that girl isn't out to just splat you. She's out to kill you. We should leave it to the authorities, and that's that."  
Silence fell between the group, conflicting feelings hanging heavily in the air. It was tense.  
"...I should have never dragged you children into this," he mumbled, running a hand down his face.  
"Cap'n..."  
Chiaki sighed, then sat next to him.   
"If we didn't want to do this, we would have left a while ago, you know."  
"Yeah," Rina agreed, nodding.  
"And," Lexi interrupted, after being silent the whole discussion, "just because we lost once doesn't mean we'll lose again."  
"We've saved so many lives, we can't just stop being agents now," Chiaki explained. "I stayed because I want to protect my home and my family."  
"I stayed because it made me feel like I had a purpose," Rina added.  
"I stayed because I wanted to help keep Inkopolis safe for Inklings and Octolings," Lexi chimed in. Chiaki shifted so that she was facing him.  
"Please, Cap'n. We have a plan, and we won't fail."  
Cuttlefish let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head. "On one condition. Agent 3?"  
"Yes, Cap'n?"  
"You and the other two are to be extra careful. If needed, you will retreat. Don't be foolish."  
"Cap'n..."  
Chiaki was surprised when the older Inkling took a shaking hand and pat her head.   
"I believe in you kiddos. Just come back safe, alright?"  
The trio brightened up and responded in unison.  
"Yes, Cap'n!"

\-----

"So, where should we patrol tonight?" Rina was pacing around Chiaki's apartment while Lexi sat down and Chiaki was bent over a map of the city.   
"I'm thinking maybe the square... I just have a feeling something might go down there."  
"What, are you psychic?"  
"No, it's just a guess. Like... instinct. She's been attacking the electric grid lately, so maybe she'll go after the Great Zapfish."  
"So we'll patrol there tonight?"  
"Yeah, but there's one more thing we need."  
"What?"  
"Pearl and Marina's speakers. You'll see why later."  
Chiaki stood up and stretched.  
"Anyways, get yourselves ready. It's getting late so we'll head out as soon as you're geared up and ready to go. Let's end this."


	7. Blackout

The night was unusually dark and quiet. As if no one cares to speak, to breathe. Tension hung thick in the air as the agents lurked in the shadows of Inkopolis Square. It was still closed due to the explosion incident, so all the shops were closed and locked and all the electronic screens were shut off. Rina was unnerved by how silent it was. Normally the square was alive with lights and Inklings and Octolings everywhere. Now, there was nothing but darkness. Even the moon hid behind the clouds, obscuring it's pale glow.  
"Everyone in position?" Agent 3 asked through her radio.   
"Roger," Agents 4 and 8 replied.  
Everything remained quiet for hours. For awhile, they started to consider giving up.  
Agent 3 was about to give up and call it a night, when suddenly a ship flew overhead. No doubt it was Octarian. It stopped overhead, and out came the Octoling.   
"Finally, it's time to finish this. We'll leave Inkopolis in the dark. The city will run out of power and fall into turmoil. I will free my people. Now be a good fish and come with Bella," she said, facing the Great Zapfish. She climbed onto the tower, a long chain in hand. It was then she got smacked with a roller. She lost her balance and fell, Agent 4 jumping down after her. The octoling- Bella, they gathered, super jumped a small distance so that she landed on her feet in the center of the square. She skidded to a halt, hissing and trying to shake off the orange ink.  
"What the heck?!"  
Agent 3 dodge rolled out of the darkness and proceeded to shoot at Bella. After a few hits, she jumped out of the way and grabbed her gun. She went to fire back, and Agent 8 jumped between them, undercover brella open, shielding them from the toxic ink and firing back Bella cursed, backing up, only to step into more orange ink. Agent 4 was covering the whole ground in orange ink with her roller to trap her. Bella growled, aiming at Agent 4. The youngest Agent gripped her roller tighter, waiting for the impact of the toxic ink, but it never came. Agent 8 has jumped in front of her and opened her brella to shield her. Rina couldn't help but grin wildly. "Thanks!" She called out.  
"Not a problem!"  
Agent 3 pulled a remote out and clicked a button. Immediately the speakers she had set up turned on and started playing music. A very familiar tune blasted through the air, and the trio couldn't help but grin and turn back to their enemy, who looked so perplexed.  
"Is that...?!"  
"Calamari Inkantation," Agent 3 finished, gun trained on the Octoling. "You must not have been there around 2 or 3 years ago when the Squid Sisters had overridden the radio during my battle."  
"S... stop it! Turn it off!"  
She fired again, and Agent 8 blocked it and fired back.  
"Don't tune it out, Bella!" Agent 8 called out. "Listen and free yourself!"   
"Why would I listen to a traitor like you?!"  
"You could live in peace with us," Agent 4 shouted above the music, still circling like a shark. "You could stay here in Inkopolis!"  
"Trust us'" Agent 3 shouted, "and you could live a better life here!"  
"Stop it, all of you!"  
Bella clutched her head, her whole body shaking. She was conflicted. Hope for the future yet the comfort of the familiar life, she couldn't choose. She let out a frustrated cry, and activated her special.  
"WATCH OUT, SHE'S USING A BOMB RUSH!" Agent 3 called, grabbing the other two and ducking behind Crusty Sean's food truck for cover.  
Bella kept throwing bomb after bomb all over the square, clearly frustrated and angry. Finally, though, she seemed to tire out. That's when the trio jumped out and surrounded her.   
Bella collapsed to the ground and dropped her weapon, wiping her eyes.  
"It's not fair," she said, shaking. Rina took the chain she was planning on using on the Great Zapfish and began to wrap her up in it. "All I wanted was a better life."  
"Violence isn't the answer, though," Lexi replied. "Attacking the city you envied..."  
"You were still loyal to Octavio," Chiaki said, stepping forward. "It's time you let the past go."  
Somewhere, the first rays of sunshine began to shine over the horizon.


	8. Change

They arrived at Tentakeel Outpost, Agent 3 leading in the front holding the end of the chain, Agent 4 walking beside Bella, and Agent 8 following behind her. Bella was all chained up, and she hasn't said a word since they left. At this point, Marie and Callie were already there, along with Cuttlefish. The three were anxiously awaiting the other trio's arrival. Once they sorted them coming with the Octolings all chained up, they immediately brightened up and ran over. Agent 4 broke away from formation to run over to Marie, who excitedly embraced her. Her orange eyes were glittering, a wide smile on her face. Agent 3 paused to look. It reminded her of herself 3 years ago. She couldn't help the small smile that snuck it's way onto her face.   
She turned her attention back to the older squid who was slowly making his way towards her. Beneath his beard, Agent 3 could tell he was smiling. She met him halfway, her smile never fading.  
"I'm proud of you, squiddo," Cuttlefish said, patting her on the head. "I'm glad you came back safe. You had us all worried."  
"Sorry, cap'n."  
"It's quite alright. What's passed is in the past now." He starts to walk to Agent 8, and then pauses. "Oh, and..." he turns around and grins at Agent 3 again. "I think that's the happiest I've seen you in a long time. You should smile more. It suits you."  
With that, he turned back around, walking passed Bella to address the other agent. Chiaki blinked, bringing a hand to her own cheek. Had it really been that long since she smiled? Shed shook her head, looking around. Agent 4 was excitedly telling Callie and Marie about the fight while Agent 8 revived praise from Cuttlefish. She turned back to Bella, who stood wrapped in chains, staring shamefully don at the ground. The green haired inkling sighed, walking over to the other.  
"It just wasn't fair," Bella said, her voice soft. " You took away the only thing I believed could free us, so I wanted to hurt you guys in return."  
Agent 3 nodded, looking at the sky. The sun was starting to rise and paint the sky the shades of dawn. "You weren't there when I defeated Octavio three years ago, were you?"  
Bell's head snapped up, her eyes wide. "How did you know?"  
"Everyone who was there had their lives changed that day. If you were stuck in your old ways, you either didn't want to change, or hadn't heard Calamari Inkantation," she explained. "I know, change can be hard, so I'm not mad. At first, I had trouble accepting that your kind would be living amongst us in Inkopolis. Your kind, that I was taught to hate for three years, that tried to kill me, was going to be living with me. I struggled to adjust to this new change." Agent 3 looks back at Bella, golden eyes shimmering in the first rays of sunlight. "But I've learned that not all change is bad. Don't you agree?"  
Bella looked at Agent 3, then looked back down at the ground, nodding.  
"Yeah, it can be."  
"That's why I'm giving you a choice here," 3 continued. She led Bella over to the snowglobe that contained DJ Octavio. His angry, unforgiving eyes met Agent 3's, then shifted over to the Octolings that stood with her. Yet, he said nothing. He just watched in silent anger.  
"Bella," Agent 3 began, stepping back but still holding the chain. "It's time you chose a side. Do you want to give up your life underground, embrace my kind as your friends and new life, and start anew in Inkopolis? Or would you rather continue working for Octavio, remain underground, and keep your old life? It's time to choose. Are you ready?"  
Bella froze, looking between Agent 3 and Octavio, who stared back. She stuttered, panic taking over. What did she want? What did she really want?  
"I..."  
She broke down, tears slipping down her cheeks. Choked sobs filled the air.  
"I want to be free...!"

\-----

After her choice, the Agents helped untangle Bella from the chains. She bowed deeply, thanking them for their hell and apologizing for all the trouble she caused.  
"I wish I could say that you could come to Inkopolis now, but I think it's best if you wait until all this dies down," Agent 3 advised. "Or you could stay here at Tentakeel Outpost."  
"We could teach you about Inkling culture!" Callie chimed in happily. "You'll have a lot to learn!"  
"Yes," Bella replied softly, nodding. "I would like that very much... I will stay here and learn..."  
"Sounds like a plan," Agent 4 said excitedly, patting Bella on the back. "I'll have to bring over some of my CDs so we can listen to music together!"  
"Don't forget the fashion," Agent 8 jumped in. "Not that you aren't fresh already, I mean!"  
"We'll be visiting a lot, so expect us to stop by and check in on you, too," Agent 3 said, a small smile on her face.   
"Actually, you three. Come here for a moment," Marie called, waving them over. The agent trio joined her, and the idol sighed.  
"A week," she said. "Take the week off. You never did get that vacation."  
"A whole week?!" They were shocked.  
"Will you be okay on your own all week?" Agent 3 asked, clearly unsure about taking off for that long.  
"Yes, of course. You need the break most of all, 3. You're a workaholic."  
Agent 3 huffed, to which Marie poked her with the end of her umbrella.  
"Now go. You earned it."  
"...Thanks, Agent 2."  
"Marie."  
"Hm?"  
"Marie is fine."  
"Hey, Chiaki! Are you coming or what?!" Rina called by the grate. Lexi was with her, smiling and waiting patiently.  
"Coming!"  
Chiaki ran to join them, and the trio all left for Inkopolis together.


	9. Another New Dawn

The stars were just starting to blink out as the sun began to peek from behind the hold on, it's golden rays spilling over the city and adding a comforting orange hue to the already colorful city.  
She breathed in the crisp cool air of the morning and closed her eyes, a smile coming to her face as she leaned against the sturdy railing. She still loved frequenting this rooftop every morning. Golden eyes opened, shining with the sun rays of the new dawn. Her green tentacles swayed gently in the breeze, her tattered cape rustling as the wind stirred it. The season was just starting to change.   
Just a few months ago, she was here on a morning like this, maybe a bit warmer. She didn't realize how much she would change from that day on.  
"Change is something to be embraced, not feared," she mumbled to herself.   
She heard the heavy metal door that led to the roof creak open, and turned around to find Rina and Lexi jogging towards her.  
"Hey!" Rina stopped besides the older agent, grinning her signature grin. "I hope we aren't too late!"  
"It was nearly impossible to get Rina up," Lexi replied, passing a coffee to Chiaki. "Here, we stopped by a cafe on the way here to grab a morning boost. I got you one, exactly the way you like it."  
"Aw, thanks Lexi," Chiaki replied, accepting the drink and taking a sip. She couldn't believe that Lexi remembered her usual order.   
"So what did you want to show us, Chi?" Rina was practically bouncing up and down in excitement. Chiaki smiled, pointing towards the sunrise.   
"That. I like coming up here most mornings to watch the sunrise. I wanted to share that with my two closest friends."  
Chiaki turned back to the sunrise, and the other two followed her gaze. Indeed, it was amazing. The golden rays of sunlight chased away the last bits of the night, bathing the city in a warm, refreshing light.  
"It’s beautiful," Lexi replied, breathless. Her emerald eyes were shimmering, her hands gripping the railing tightly. Rina was left speechless, but her grin had definitely grown wider.  
Together, the three friends watched the sun rise.  
Another new dawn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your support. I poured my heart into writing this, and I plan on making a series. For now, though, I think I'm going to take a break and plan for the next story. Again, thank you all so much. I hope to see you all again soon.


End file.
